Moody’s analyzes more than 500 four-year colleges and universities, assessing their financial reliability and credit worthiness. 398 of these schools are considered to be “minimal to low” credit risks. The colleges of the Ivy League, with their generous endowments, are, of course, among the most financially stable schools.

However, thirty-seven schools have slipped in their ratings between summer 2013 and summer 2014, while just nine schools improved. (You can review the full list on the Washington Post website). Schools were rated on various factors including “full-time equivalent enrollment, net tuition revenue per student, total cash and investments, total debt, average donations per student and the ratio of debt to operating revenue.”